US President Donald Trump said America will send a second aircraft carrier to West Asia. He warned Iran that more force will be used if nuclear talks fail. “If we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it,” Trump said.   The US is moving the USS Gerald R. Ford to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region.   Trump said the move will strengthen America’s position in talks. Tensions remain high in the Middle East. Recent sea incidents have raised concerns. Gulf nations have warned that any military action could spark a wider conflict. (PC: AP)

The FBI said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was a “target of transnational repression” after Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a murder-for-hire case. Gupta admitted in a New York court that he paid $15,000 to a man he believed was a hitman to kill Pannun in 2023. The FBI said, “He thought he could kill someone without consequence.” US officials said the plot was stopped by law enforcement. Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic. He may face up to 24 years in prison. The Indian government has denied any role in the case.

Ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan, former spinner Harbhajan Singh advised India to play carefully against Pakistan’s spinner Usman Tariq. He said India is a strong team but must handle Tariq safely.   Tariq has taken 11 wickets in four T20 matches. His bowling action has also sparked debate.   Former wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia said India looks confident and fearless. He added that Pakistan will feel pressure.   Mongia also expects a strong performance from all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has a good record against Pakistan. (PC: AFP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed on Assam’s first Emergency Landing Facility in Moran on Saturday. It is the first such highway airstrip in the Northeast. The 4.2-km stretch can be used by Indian Air Force fighter jets during emergencies. The project cost Rs 100 crore.   Modi arrived from Chabua airfield in a C-130J aircraft. He also watched a 40-minute air show by the Air Force. Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale jets operated from the strip. The An-32 aircraft and ALH helicopters took part in the display. Garud Commandos showed special operations skills.

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, 54, has pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to a failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US‑based pro‑Khalistani activist and dual US‑Canadian citizen. Gupta admitted to charges including murder‑for‑hire, conspiracy to commit murder‑for‑hire, and money laundering, admitting he paid an undercover law‑enforcement officer he believed was a hitman to kill Pannun. Prosecutors allege Gupta acted at the direction of a former Indian government official, Vikash Yadav, and negotiated a $100,000 contract, handing over $15,000 as advance. Gupta, extradited from the Czech Republic in 2024, faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced on May 29. India has denied government involvement. (PC: X)

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) regained control of the government in the 2026 general election, securing a commanding more than two‑thirds majority in the 300‑seat Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) after years out of power. BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, returning from years abroad, clinched victory in his constituencies and is poised to become the next prime minister. The election followed the end of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s long rule, with the ruling Awami League barred from contesting. Analysts say the result reflects popular desire for change, not a radical revolution, as BNP’s organisational strength delivered success at the polls. (PC: AP)

Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran dismissed actor‑turned‑politician Vijay and his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) after Vijay claimed TVK would win a majority in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and form the next government. Nagendran called Vijay “completely inexperienced” and said he should engage more with grassroots politics, predicting TVK would fail to win any seats. TVK previously cited an internal survey showing it close behind the ruling DMK in vote share, while Vijay insisted his party would not join alliances with either the INDIA bloc or the BJP‑led NDA. (PC: India Today)

A 22‑year‑old Indian student from Karnataka, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, enrolled in a postgraduate programme at the University of California, Berkeley, has been missing since February 9, last seen near Lake Anza in the Berkeley Hills. Local authorities and the Berkeley Police Department, which has classified him as “at‑risk,” are conducting extensive search operations, focusing around Tilden Regional Park after his backpack containing personal items was found nearby. The Consulate General of India in San Francisco says it is in contact with his family and U.S. officials to aid the search. Friends and community members are also helping spread information. (PC: LinkedIn)

The United States is sending a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, from the Caribbean to the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalate, U.S. officials told media. The move will place two carrier strike groups in the region alongside the already‑deployed USS Abraham Lincoln, backed by destroyers and other naval assets. President Donald Trump said the deployment is a precaution in case negotiations with Tehran fail and stressed the need to reach a deal. Israeli leaders support efforts to pressure Iran on its nuclear and missile programs. The carrier is expected to take about a week to arrive. (PC: Reuters)

Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy has pulled out of the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) after jury president Wim Wenders and others said filmmakers should “stay out of politics” regarding the Gaza conflict. Roy, who was set to present her film in the festival’s Classics section, called their remarks “jaw-dropping” and “unconscionable.” She criticised the refusal to address humanitarian atrocities in Gaza and argued that artists have a responsibility to speak out against crimes against humanity. Her withdrawal highlights the growing debate over art, politics, and moral responsibility in global cinema. (PC: AFP)